Having nothing to attain, a bodhisattva relies on the prajna paramita,so mind is no obstacle,as mind is no obstacle there is no fear;going across all troublesome statesjust practise nirvana.San ze sho butsue hannya haramitako toku a noku ta rasanmyaku sambodai

This is a commentary on the sutra with the therapist in mind. We are looking at this teaching as a basis for helping those in need, not simply for our own personal practice. For clarity I have adopted the convention of referring to the therapist as “she” and the client as “he” but all the principles set out here apply in exactly the same manner whatever the sex of the therapist or client.

This sutra starts with the name of the bodhisattva of love and compassion. This is, therefore, a text about the nature of love and compassion. The name Quan Shi Yin literally means one who hears the cries that come down through the generations. This kind of love, therefore, is full of sympathy for the pain and woe that people have inherited from their own past lives, from their ancestors, and from the culture they have been born into. The term bodhisattva means one who has the courage or spirit to live up to a great vision. Dhi means vision and the syllable bo means to be awake to that vision. Sattva refers to being or spirit. The bodhisattva lives in the spirit of awakening to a perception that goes beyond the ordinary. Compassion and wisdom need each other. Wisdom is not real wisdom unless it acts as compassion and compassion is not effective compassion unless it is wise. Quan Shi Yin is a kind of patron saint of therapists because her mission is to ease the spiritual pain of beings by bringing them to a place of greater wisdom.

Saturday, 05 August 2017

The following is a translation and commentary upon a famous Chinese Buddhist text. I am not a language scholar, so my translation is not perfect and, in any case, such texts are open to a variety of interpretations. However, the purpose here is to examine the text both from the point of view of Dharma practice and from that of psychotherapy and counselling.

There is, therefore, a commentary upon each line that has two parts. “Dharma Commentary” contains notes relevant to the meaning of the text and its significance in Buddhism. “Therapy Commentary” takes the line in question as a maxim for psychotherapy and suggests its application.

The text is about the “mirror mind” and is about the relationship between master and disciple or, equally, therapist and client. Here we are teasing out the nature of this relationship at different levels. For simplicity, the therapist is referred to as “she” and the client as “he”, but the principles apply the same whatever the gender of client and therapist may be.

There are also, for reference, three appendices at the end relating to Dong Shan's principle of the “Five Ranks” or “Five Positions”.

Author:Master Dong Shan Liang Jie 洞山良价 (Tozan Ryokai, 807-869) and his leading disciple Caoshan Benji 曹山本寂 (840-901) are regarded as the founding figures of the Caodong School in China which became Soto in Japan. Master Dong Shan is especially noted for this text and for his associated doctrine of Five Ranks (五位). It seems likely that the present text was one of the inspirations for Dogen Zenji's seminal text Genjo Koan upon which I have also done some work for presentation in another publication.

The Jewel Mirror Samadhi Song

Thus, by Buddhas and ancestors, the Dharma is secretly transmitted.Now that you have it, guard well.Snow upon a silver plate, a white egret hiding in moonlight,Similarity is not identity. Similars, when together, can be distinguished.You'll not see it in what people say, you'll see it in their spontaneous responses and reactions.Acting and achieving in the old familiar way you miss the slip – look again, wait, look to the longer context.Too far away and too close are both wrong, as in relation to a great fire.Fancy words that are merely rupa are themselves klesha.True radiance comes in darkest night; the dawn brings no dew.This rule benefits beings; use it to uproot all kinds of dukkha.Although uncontrived, it is not wordless.Thus facing the jewel mirror, rupa images regard one another.You are not it, but it is definitely you.It's like a baby, complete in five waysNeither going nor coming, neither arising nor staying.Ma-ma, wa-wa; speech without speech,In the final analysis, the object is not attained because the speech is not yet right.In the double li hexagram, the one who stands upright and the one who bows depend upon one anotherYou make your threefold division, but to get the result you rework it into five.Like the chih grass taste, like the vajra.In their encounter, disciple and master embrace and display the central mystery.To know the ancient way is to know the way ahead; take it to heart and it will take you along.If reverent, then happy. Nothing can go wrong.The truth that Heaven bestows is nonetheless mysterious; not even to be classed with delusion and enlightenment.All in due season, with the ripening of causes and conditions, its glory quietly emerges.Fine, it penetrates hell; great, no cell can hold it.A tiny mistake and you lose the tuneNow we have sudden and gradual and sectarian meanings take their standsThe sects separate, setting up rules and standardsYet, if one plumb them to the very depths, it will be found that true nature flows quite naturally.Outwardly calm yet agitated within, one is like a tethered colt or a trapped mouse.From pity, as dana paramita, the former sages performed the Dharmaby such paradoxical means as black silk performing pure whiteness.When muddled thought is extinguished, the willing heart comes into its own [i.e. is liberated].To walk hand in hand with those of old, one must inquire of the ancient ways.Along the Buddha Way: ten kalpas contemplating the bodhi tree.Thus the tiger's tattered ears; thus the horse's old grey leg.Therefore, for the downcast, a jewelled footrest, a noble chariot.Therefore, astonishingly, there are dutiful cats and pure cattle.Emperor Yi could hit a target at a hundred yards by dint of skill and strength.But how will you make to meet two arrows in mid-air straight on?How make the wooden man sing, the stone damsel dance?This cannot arrive by vijñana cravings, much less include discriminative thought.The minister serves the king, the child respects the father.Without service there is no loyalty, without respect, no support.Make use of this secret practice, be the foolish being completely.Only in each making the other successful can the master within the master be inherited.

COMMENTARY

TITLE

The Jewel Mirror Samadhi Song

寶鏡三昧歌

Commentary: The Jewel 寶 generally refers to the “mani”, or “wish fulfilling jewel”, that represents the seemingly magical effect of Dharma. The Mirror signifies the mind of one who has let self fall away. Samadhi means concentration, but has a wider implication than the English word, signifying a state transcending ordinary consciousness in which the spontaneous activity of the mind automatically reflects the Dharma.

A jewel has many facets and so reflects in many directions at the same time. Everything reflects everything, but, in particular, there is an important reflection effect between master and disciple and, similarly, also between individual and Buddha. Beyond the relationship between master and disciple is the relationship that they together have to the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The jewel mirror thus also refers to the “Three Jewels”. It is the influence of the threefold jewel coming through that actually heals. It is this deeper connection that makes the reflection between master and disciples or between therapist and client deeply meaningful. The master-disciple relationship itself reveals the jewel mirror and only exists because of the jewel mirror.

The therapist who employs a Buddhist psychology approach has a sense of the Buddha as present in the relationship and as being the jewel mirror. The truth that emerges through the therapy process is Dharma. It is the deep meaning of human heartedness and of “the depths of the soul”. We, therefore, must approach this work in a spirit of great humility. What we discover by working with a client is no small thing. It is not a fault in a psychological mechanism that needs fixing, it is something much more important. The client embodies the Dharma and the client's “problem” or “koan” that is ripening in their life is like a chink of light reflected from the jewel mirror.

Thus, it is not simply that “the relationship heals”, it is that the relationship gives access to the meaning of life exemplified in a particular instance. This is portentious. It moves us. We feel it. We are touched and moved. These “touchings” and “movings” are not always easy to put into words, but the therapist must learn to allow herself to be touched and moved and to find in that deep involuntary effect something of great worth, something to respect infinitely. In this infinite respect the Dharma is made manifest.

LINES

Line 1

Thus, by Buddhas and ancestors, the Dharma is secretly transmitted.

如是之法佛祖密付

Dharma Commentary

Secret transmissionThe Dharma is passed down directly, heart to heart. The point here is that we should not think that the Dharma is something merely intellectual, nor that it is a matter that can be figured out if one is just sufficiently clever. The Dharma is more connaisance than savoir, “caught” rather than “taught”, experiential rather than didactic. The didactic elements are signposts. All over France there are signposts to Paris, but no study of the signposts, however exhaustive, will ever substitute for a visit to the city. The Dharma is found in the spontaneous, nonpossessive love that exists between a true master and a true disciple. It is a mirroring of mutual esteem, supported by shared esteem for the Dharma.

ThusBuddhist scriptures generally begin, “Thus have I heard...” The term tatha in Sanskrit can be translated as “thus” or “such”, hence tathata as “thusness” and Tathagata as an epithet of Buddha. The whole idea of “thusness” has a particular cachet in Buddhism, referring both to the transmitted Dharma and to the idea that Dharma is simply things as they are - “thus”. It would, therefore, also be possible to translate this first line as “By Buddhas and ancestors, the Dharma of thusness is secretly transmitted.”

By Buddhas and AncestorsThe Buddhas and ancestors are eternally transmitting this Dharma. This is the religious sense of Buddhism. We are not merely talking about a theory, but a living presence. Things emerge in the Dharma relationship that are not traceable to the individuals and their personal karma. Something more is at work.

Therapy Commentary

The “Dharma of thusness” refers to a certain kind of spontaneity or naturalness. An aim of therapy is to help the client to arrive at such a state of freedom from inner conflict, such that the mind can be trusted and anxiety then can subside. In therapy a special kind of relationship space is created within which certain qualities can be transmitted. It is also a space within which a person feels able to be more spontaneous and to follow the hidden thread of their deeper thoughts and feelings. There is a heart to heart connection between therapist and client which creates a freedom, where the client feels trusted and immune to destructive criticism. In therapy, different things happen at different levels. Superficially the client may obtain reassurance and may learn some things from the therapist. This process of learning and reassurance, however, can be the medium within which a deeper meeting occurs in which there is a real opening, heart to heart, by means of which a deep healing takes place. This all happens secretly. It is not necessarily conscious to either therapist or client. It is the fact that there is no contrivance or manipulation that makes it possible.

Tuesday, 01 August 2017

In Pureland Buddhism it is often taught that a single recitation of Nembutsu — Namo Amida Bu — is sufficient to effect one’s salvation after death. As a result of reciting one Nembutsu, one will be reborn in Amida’ realm of love and bliss, instead of being swept along blindly by one’s karma toward an uncertain rebirth after death.

This is essentially a view of universal salvation through grace. It is an eschatology that places the realization of divine truth in the future — after death — and outside of this world. Our actions are unimportant. There is nothing good or ill that we can do that will affect or effect our salvation after death.

This is essentially a view of universal salvation through grace. It is an eschatology that places the realization of divine truth in the future — after death — and outside of this world. Our actions are unimportant. There is nothing good or ill that we can do that will affect or effect our salvation after death.

This is essentially a view of universal salvation through grace. It is an eschatology that places the realization of divine truth in the future — after death — and outside of this world. Our actions are unimportant. There is nothing good or ill that we can do that will affect or effect our salvation after death.

For those who are powerless, oppressed, and suffering tremendously, this eschatology is valuable, even hopeful! It offers an escape, an end to one’sdistress and grief. Since it it universal, the good and the wicked are save indiscriminately. This is particularly important. The powerless and oppressed are often forced into livelihoods that a society considers sinful and/or religiously tainted. For those who are marginalized by society, traditional religious salvation can be denied them because of their lack of status or the socially “impure” work that they perform. Thus salvation through grace, even after death, may be the only form of salvation available to them.

Those of us who have the good fortune to live in stable countries, with our basic needs met and some level of autonomy, security, and freedom, are the rich and powerful. For us, Salvation cannot come simply as a release from suffering and hardship at the end of life. We have already been saved from so much distress and deprivation that we cannot appreciate salvific grace. We still suffer, of course, but much of our suffering is existential. It is the suffering of affluence and not of deprivation.

Luxury and abundance are so normal for us that we have lost the ability to appreciation the simple and wondrous joys of life. Clean water is essential to life. We cannot go more than a few days without it. In fact, life on this planet would not exist without water. But we are so spoiled with fortune that we take for granted the water running through the pipes in our houses. For many people on the planet —even today — such easy access to water is nothing short of miraculous. Yet we are so accustomed to the availably of water that we cannot see the miracle that occurs every time we turn on a faucet. We, the materially fortunate, have lost Salvation though of our own discontent.

Therefore, we must work for our salvation. It cannot be found solely through quite meditation or great feats of spiritual discipline. Our lives have harmed too many for that. Salvation requires that we make amends for the wrongs that we have committed and for the atrocities from which we have benefited.

We must find Salvation through prayers that are active and engaged. Compassion is our act of contrition. It must be practiced daily. We begin by opening our hearts to the real pains and suffering of the people around us, as well as to those living across the globe. Once we have awoken to the suffering of others, our compassion will move us to action. Sometimes — most times — this is just offering human kindness and understanding. However, it can also motivate us to address some of the many social ills that cause people to suffer unnecessary pain and hardship. Institutionalized greed, hatred, and ignorance, are the source of much suffering. They must be challenged and resisted. The world is filled with many people who have too little, while we few, the fortunate ones, have so much!

In saving those around us, we ourselves are saved. This is the path of great compassion. In creating a better world — one that is more loving, compassionate, and kind — we begin to discover that Salvation lies in our very midst. It is found in the joys of others and the simple pleasures of living lovingly together. Amida’s Pureland of love and bliss, we realize, is both far away and present in all the ordinary moments of life.

One Nembutsu is all that is required to enter the Pureland. But that One Nembutsu must include all. None can be excluded. And we, the fortunate ones, must live that One Nembutsu with everyone.

Wednesday, 26 July 2017

We are an outpost of Nyorai’s Pure Land. We, the misfits, fit here. We are trying to live a life that is genuine — a life free from spin — while recognising that we are just ordinary, unenlightened beings.

Saturday, 17 June 2017

Throughout the history of Buddhism there have been controversies about the ideas of irreversibility and of determinism.These are to do with the inevitability (or not) of future arrival at nirvana, either for individuals or for all beings.

Thus, in the Mahayana, in many scriptures, Buddhas give predictions of enlightenment to individuals or to whole groups. These are thereby singled out for their faith, having reached a degree such as will inevitably put them on an upward learning curve from which there is no return. In the Pali canon too there is the well-established typology of four grades, namely, arhat, non-returner, once returner, and stream entrant. These are all categories of persons for whom enlightenment is either already attained or inevitably assured. In Pureland, there is the idea that those who have faith are assured of entry into Sukhavati and that the conditions in Sukhavati are such that enlightenment is ultimately assured. Thus, in a sense, those who enter Sukhavati are "non-returners" unless they have made bodhisattva vows in which case they abjure entry into nirvana until all sentient beings can do likewise.

The fact that some are irreversible implies that others are not. Thus there is no inevitability about all beings reaching nirvana ever. At the same time, many Buddhists in history have believed that it was inevitable that all would get there eventually. Sometimes, of course, it is rather difficult to tell where hope stops and belief starts since both deal with matters that cannot be known for sure.

Now, in Buddhism belief is less vitally important than it is in some other religions. It is more the sentiment of faith that matters rather than the precise definitions of belief in this or that doctrine. Since one of the primary beliefs is that we are all deluded, one can hardly expect the ordinary practitioner to understand everything perfectly. These various ideas can be seen as the way that different groups of practitioners or different teachers have given expression to their faith in different times and circumstances. So I will attempt here to give my own take on the matter, but this does not mean that what follows is holy writ. Each person finds his or her way.

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

Continuing the commentary on the Summary of Faith and Practice - we are working backwards toward the beginning at the moment...

TEXT: freeing themselves of sophistication and attachment to all forms of cleverness,

COMMENTARY

Sophistication

The term sophistication has a number of related meanings, most of them pejorative. The history of the word lies in the classical world of Greece and Rome. Originally a sophist was a person skilled in worldly knowledge, and from this it became a person who sold such knowledge, and such people came to be known as ones who often used false or overly clever arguments to make something seem true when in fact it was not. Thus the term came to mean posing as overly clever. There is also a positive use of the term, as when one might say that Einstein's theory was more sophisticated than that of Newton, where one simply means that it took into account more subtle information. The reference here in the Summary is to becoming caught up in ideas and arguments that sound impressive but are more or less void of meaning. Buddhism has a lot of philosophy and over the course of Buddhist history there have been many different schools of philosophical Buddhism.

Theories

Reading Buddhist works it is relatively easy to start to think that what is required is to find and fully understand the right theory about Buddha nature or voidness or causality or something of this kind. For instance, there was at one stage an extended debate over the question of what we might call the atoms of time – what is the smallest conceivable duration? Is life made up of such particles of time? This was related to the idea of a “thought-moment” and related to theories about what happens in meditation and in daily life and how each thought-moment is related to the next. Is enlightenment a matter of one perfect thought-moment? If you are enlightened in one thought-moment, are you then necessarily enlightened in the next? … and so on. This also had relevance to theories of rebirth, either from life to life or from thought-moment to thought-moment, and are those the same thing or different? Then there was a big controversy over whether the past, present and future all exist, or only the present exists, or none of them exist, and so on. This debate goes on to this day. Check out a mindfulness programme and you will probably read somewhere on an early page the assertion that only the present moment exists. However, the All-exist School (Sarvastivada) was for a long time the dominant Buddhist form and although the school itself no longer exists (unless it was right, in which case, having once existed, it does still exist) Sarvastivadan thought still exercises some influence. All the Mahayana schools of Buddhism have Sarvastivada masters from that time in their lineages and the thought of, for instance, Zen Master Dogen shows distinct traces of Sarvastivada thought. Contemporary Buddhism is much pre-occupied with ideas about (a) non-duality and (b) inter-dependence, and to read many contemporary Buddhist writings one would soon get the idea that so long as you hold the right idea on these matters you are a true Buddhist and if not, not. Unfortunately, I myself count as a heretic on this criterion.

Tuesday, 06 June 2017

The Buddha has vowed to receive whoever turns to him in faith and calls his name. There are many ways of calling the name. Literally, we can say, “Amitabha” or “Namo Amida Bu” or some equivalent, or say a short prayer, such as the “Kimyo jinjipo mugeko Nyorai” (In the Tathagata of unimpeded light throughout the ten directions, I take refuge). These are all ways of taking refuge - entrusting oneself to a greater power.

Often, taking refuge, therefore, begins with realising one's own inadequacy. The first step, therefore, is commonly that of realising one's bombu condition. To call on the Buddha is to call upon Other Power and one does not do so if one's dependence upon self power remains intact. Only when we reach the point of a genuine “I can't” do we turn elsewhere for help.

Another way of approaching the subject is through the notion of offerings. In a number of scriptures it says that the way that people become Buddhas is via making offerings to innumerable Buddhas and in the Pure Land Sutras it says that what those who dwell in the Pure Land spend much of their time doing is making offerings to other Buddhas. This gives a wonderful basis for ecumenism within Pureland. Now we can see that entrusting oneself to the Buddha is an offering. When we say Namo Amida Bu we are saying thank you to the Buddha for the benefit he gives freely to us, and we are also giving ourselves over to him. One offers oneself. In this way, "Namo Amida Bu" means "I give you my life". It is clear enough from considering this that nothing else is necessary.

We have two primary auxiliary practices: nei quan and chih quan. In nei quan one looks inward and sees into one's dependent, fallible nature. This is insight meditation. It amounts to an investigation of “Namo...” It dwells on the question “Who/what is it that is calling out to Buddha?” Then in chih quan we offer all this to the Buddha who receives it with his universal smile and happy heart. We feel that he will know what to do with all our passion. This is offering. In return, we feel the peace of Buddha descend upon us, penetrating and permeating our body and mind. This peace is profound. Chih quan is, thus, “tranquil abiding”. However, in our practice, tranquil abiding is not a preparatory meditation, it is the grace of Buddha descending upon us. In this way we feel “...Amida Bu” enter into us, as the tathagatagarbha, the seed that will one day mature as Buddha. This seed is planted in us. Through these two auxiliary practices we have experience of our bombu state, entrusting ourselves, and receiving the peace of the Tathagata.

When people talk about “method” they tend to be thinking about a formula or protocol that can be consciously practised and applied in order to get a result. However, there it is no good just going through the motions if there is no genuine experience. The auxiliary practices do not coerce the Buddha into granting us something, they merely give us conviction by showing us experientially how Other Power works, but it does not work as a result of our action – it is working anyway. Just insofar as we have conviction we are less inclined to resist. The auxiliary practices are not actually necessary. All that is necessary is to turn one's heart toward the Buddha in faith and gratitude. All the rest is already completely assured. If one truly declares the nembutsu, nei quan and chih quan are implicit.

The principle of tathagatagarbha is based on the image of pregnancy. Once the seed is implanted, it will grow. It goes on growing whether the mother-to-be is thinking about it or not. In the same way, the seed of Buddhahood grows within whether we have conscious awareness or not. When we declare our love to the Buddha by calling out Namo Amida Bu, he comes and cherishes us and puts his seed in us. This seed will come to fruition far into the future. In the meantime it grows naturally. However, just as the father protects the mother during the time of pregnancy, so the Buddha protects us from spiritual harm as long as we carry his grace within us.

When we are married to the Buddha in this way it is natural that he welcome us home into his Pure Land when the time comes.

Buddhas create Pure Lands. Amitabha is a Buddha. Amitabha’s Pure Land is called Sukhavati. Those who have faith in that Buddha hope to be received into that Pure Land. As Amitabha has promised to receive all who have faith, as soon as one does turn to Amitabha, whether in this or any other life, one is already received as a citizen of Sukhavati, even if one cannot go there immediately. As Pureland Buddhists, therefore, we live as citizens of Sukhavati whatever realm we may be travelling in. This is our version of the bodhisattva path. We have our spiritual passport. Thus we naturally live to the best of our ability in accordance with that identity, helping all Buddhas to generate Pure Lands wherever we happen to be.

A Pure Land is a domain where the conditions for awakening are optimum. We hope to have such conditions and we hope that the Buddhas will use us in their great work of creating such conditions for others. Awakening does not eliminate dukkha, it transforms the way that it is experienced so that it becomes a doorway onto the eightfold path rather than an obstruction. There is no particular fixed map of consecutive insights. Where these exist in Buddhism they are upaya – skilful means – within the framework of this or that self-power approach. However, we trust that the Buddhas will open our eyes in whatever way is best for us according to our need, as and when. This means that each person’s path is unique. We all have the same faith but we experience it each according to our need.

Since we rely upon the Buddhas and especially upon Amitabha, we do not need to understand such abstruse concepts as the selfless nature of mind and so on, though we take it that all Buddhist teachings do indicate reality. It is not by we ourselves mastering such doctrines that salvation comes. Rather it is a grace, a free gift, that comes especially to bombu beings such as ourselves. It is thus more useful to become directly aware of one’s bombu nature – one’s vulnerability to uncontrollable impulses, proneness to error, and general foolishness – than to seek for philosophical understanding. There is nothing wrong with such understanding, but , on the one hand, one needs to guard against falling into arrogance and, on the other, there is a danger of being sidetracked into intellectualism as a substitute for real practice.

The fundamental practice is to call the name of Amitabha and to hear Amitabha’s call. All other practices are auxilliary to that. This calling is also a way of “making offerings to all Buddhas”. To call one Buddha is to call all Buddhas. Those who live in the Pure Land spend their time making offerings to innumerable Buddhas. Thus our activity as citizens of Sukhavati is to call the Buddha’s name and make offerings to all Buddhas. These are two ways of saying the same thing.

On the Pureland path, insights are by-products, gifts of the Buddhas. We do not seek them. There are no techniques for attaining them. When they happen one is grateful, but they bring responsibility. We trust that we will be given what we need at the right time.

The correct basic attitude in Pureland is gratitude. The Dharma is already in the world. The Buddhas are doing their work. Our rebirth is already fortunate. When we say Namo Amida Bu we are saying thank you. Namo Amida Bu.

Monday, 05 June 2017

Dharmavidya: I am reading Doug Osto’s book Power, Wealth and Women in Indian Mahayana Buddhism:The Gandavyuha-sutraAmazon

It is thorough, academic and requires concentration. but is very well written. I am finding it an absolute delight. I can imagine that Doug must be a superb teacher - lucky the students that populate his classes. Furthermore, one can feel his love of the text coming through. I am sure that putting together this work, while requiring a vast amount of research, study and reflection, was no chore even though it must have been a lot of work.

Many academic books are turgid. This one is exemplary in its clarity which is what makes it a pleasure to read. There are plenty of long complicated words, but all is explained, and in a manner that the intelligent general reader can handle. This is a gift.

The subject matter is the Gandhavyuha Sutra which tells the story of the pilgrim Sudhana who is sent by Manjushri to visit and learn from a series of spiritual friends (kalyanamtras) who are all in some sense emanations of Vairochana, the highest Buddha. In this story Vairochana is the “other power” and Sudhana is the “foolish being”, yet one who emerges as very spiritually advanced. This story became of immense importance in medieval Mahayana Buddhism as it displays in narrative form the whole devotional world view.

Osto’s treatment of the subject is not a straightforward commentary. He wants to position the narrative in terms of the society in which it came into being - India in the early centuries of the common era. In particular he clarifies the worldview of the sutra and shows what we can know from an analysis of its narrative structure and then draws out three particular dimensions - power, wealth and women - for special attention teasing out the connections between the content of the sutra and the society it was written in. As he says, “Power, wealth and gender are perennial concerns of every society.”

Tuesday, 23 May 2017

SHORT ANSWER: Truth is truth and all encompassing, but there is a relative and an absolute way of intuiting it.

LONGER ANSWER: I am inclined to say that this idea of two truths is a misnomer. It is not really that there are two types of truth. Their are two domains of understanding. These are like axes on different dimensions that intersect but do not interfere with one another. If you wanted to be philosophical, you could say that the question is epistemological rather than ontological. I shall try to explain my take on the matter.

In order to live we have to have faith. We might call it faith in life, or faith in the universe, or faith that existence is somehow worthwhile. It does not matter. These are really just turns of phrase. Faith does not need to have an object or content, necessarily. It is a universal foundational quality. It is universal and foundational, but it can vary in degree, intensity and application. In application it can have a content or object, by which I mean that we can invest it in this or that.

If a person’s faith is weak or confused it is an impediment to functioning in life. In that condition, it is hard to get out of bed in the morning. Clients who come into psychotherapy can sometimes be in that condition. At times we might find ourselves there. Some experiences tend to unify our faith and some shatter it.

Mostly people function by investing their faith in love (or hate) objects and projects. This keeps faith unified and concentrated (samadhi). This is what gets us going and keeps us striving. Yet these objects and objectives, even religious ones, all reside within the domain of samsara. Consequently, they are impermanent. We know that they are not ultimate, permanent, or completely reliable, even in a practical sense. It follows that our investment of faith in them cannot be total. Unconditional love does not exist within samsara.

Nonetheless, the intuition of unconditional faith and love is so much a part of us that we cannot do without it. We cannot avoid having an intuition of nirvana. We might call it different things according to our culture, but we cannot rid ourselves of it. Sometimes we might try to do so when in the grip of an impulse to reconstruct ourselves as “modern” people, or as rational and “no nonsense”, but even doing this implies that we do have faith that there is truth that is not falsehood and that this exists as an independent and ultimate yardstick that is implicitly not to be found exemplified in imperfect, impermanent phenomena. We live in a world of relativities, but cannot avoid appeal to an ultimate domain that can only be intuited, yet is necessarily intuited. There are thus always these two domains, the relative and the ultimate.

For example, although we never actually encounter it empirically, we all have an intuition of unconditional love and this plays a major role in our lives, even though we never actualise it. Nonetheless, it would not be nonsense to say that, for this same very reason, we are always encountering it, always realising it, precisely because every imperfect instance of relative being points to it. When Kashyapa gives Gotama a flower, this is not the ultimate gift. It is only a flower. It is already beginning to wilt. Yet, at the same time it is the ultimate gift for it signifies that love that surpasses all understanding. There are thus two truths. Therefore, Shakyamuni halved his seat and shared it with Kashyapa. Kashyapa’s human love for Gotama was inevitably less than perfect. There were times when his argumentative nature must have been a disappointment and a trial for his guru, but still, “behind” or “beyond” all that the perfect flower still floated in space.

Thus when Kashyapa holds up the flower and Shakyamuni winks, both relative and ultimate truth are manifest. The two dimensions do not interfere with each other. Who winks? What winks? Kashyapa and Shakyamuni have both disappeared and flowers fill the firmament.

I'm an Acharya (a senior teacher) with the Order of Amida Buddha, which is a Pureland Buddhist Order. I'm a minister, teach on-line and hold Pureland Buddhist sangha gatherings in Perth, Scotland. I mainly write about Buddhist matters and share the teachings of the Head of our Order, Dharmavidya David Brazier